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SERMON 



IN REFERENCE TO 



THE STATE OF THE TIMES, 



PREACHED JULY 2, 1837, 



BY AMOS BLANCHARD, 

PASTOR OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, WARNER, N. H. 



PUBLISHED BY REQUEST 



CONCORD: 

PRINTED AT THE OBSERVER PRESS. 

1838. 






IN EXCHANGE 

K-H.St.tlby. 



A SERMON. 



** For when thy judgments are abroad in the earth the inhabitants of the world 
will learn righteousness.'' — Isaiah, 26 : 9. 

This passage teaches the general design of God, in in- 
flicting temporal judgments and calamities upon individuals, 
communities, and nations. it is to make them feel their 
dependance on him, and show them the bitter consequences 
of violating his laws either by omission or commission. This 
effect is produced, however, only when followed by repentance 
and reformation. For it should ever be borne in mind, that 
temporal evils, and sufferings, however great, are never intended 
as an atonement for sin. The design of God is, by the force 
of example, and a salutary fear, to produce repentance and 
reformation, both in individuals and nations. When God, 
therefore, plunges a nation into the horrors of war; or sends 
upon it " the pestilence that walketh in darkness, and the de- 
struction that wasteth at noonday ;" or cuts off the necessaries 
of life ; or produces severe pecuniory embarrassments ; the 
object is, that the " mighty man may no longer glory in his 
might, nor the wise man in his wisdom, nor the rich man in his 
wealth," but that all should learn to glory only in their knowl- 
edge of God, and their assurance of his favor and protection. 
It is wise then to observe the leadings of Providence, and to 
take occasion from passing events, to learn that righteousness 
which God designs to teach, by the judgments which mark any 
particular period of the age in which we live. 

Such a period is now passing before us. From every part 
of our highly favored country, we hear of unparalleled pecu- 
niary distress. A paralysis like that of death has come upon 
all the departments of commerce and industry. Confidence is 
impaired, and credit is shaken. Every man is suspicious of his 
neighbor ; and every one is in fearful suspense, as to the results. 
Is it not time my hearers, to pause, and ask ourselves, why, 
amidst so much apparent prosperity as our country was enjoying 



a few months ago, there should have been such a sudden and 
entire cliange, as to shake the whole system of society, — cause 
the failure of many hundieds and thousands supposed to be in 
possession of princely fortunes, and bring distress and destitu- 
tion upon hundreds and thousands more ? 

Here let us beware of ascribino; the present crisis to any but 
the true cause. Let us remember that however other and sec- 
ondary causes may have contributed to this result, the primary 
and ultimate cause is sin, which is a reproach to any people. It is 
that disregard of God, and his authority and institutions, of 
which, as individuals and as a nation, we have been guilty. 
We have double need of this caution at the present time, lest 
by attributing our distresses to political mismanagement, or 
overtrading, or extravagant expenditure, we are left to seek re- 
lief in those expedients which have respect only to our out- 
ward circumstances ; and not in that repentance and reforma- 
tion of heart and life, which alone can secure the blessing and 
protection of heaven. My hearers, the causes of our present 
embarrassments lie far deeper than any political oversights that 
may have been committed by our rulers ; or any increase of 
speculation among men of business ; or any enlargement of 
expenditure on the part of the people. The truth is, we as a 
nation have sinned against God with a high hand. Young as 
our nation is, we have seemed to vie with the nations of the old 
world in deeds of wickedness and rebellion. Though still in 
our youth, we have yet grown old in iniquity. Like Jeshurun, 
we have waxen fat and kicked, through the superabundance of 
our blessings. We have departed from the Lord and lightly 
esteemed the rock of our salvation. We have boasted of our 
intelligence, our institutions and our virtues, until we have made 
ourselves believe it was our own arm, and our own might, and our 
oivn ivisdom, which has procured for us all these things. Mean- 
time, vice and irreligion have come in like a flood, — Sabbath- 
breaking has become a national sin, — because of swearing the 
land mourneth, — intemperance still spreads ruin and desolation, 
— hundreds and thousands living within sight of the house of 
God, habitually absent themselves from public worship. To 
ease off the restraints of conscience and the autiiority of God, 
we have invited unprincipled foreigners to our shores, to retail 
among us tlie cold scepticism of Hume, the rabid blasphemies 
of Voltaire, and the indecent ribaldry of Paine," that we might 
draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a 
cart rope." Is it strange that a nation so highly favored as ours, 
and which has so often received sucfi signal interpositions of 
providence, should be visited with national judgments and 
calamities f Can we wonder that our crops have been destroy- 



ed by blasting, and mildew, and untimely frost — that the chol- 
era has been let loose to scourge us — and that now we feel the 
heavy load of pecuniary embarrassment and distress? Is it not 
more wonderful rather, that any vestige of our prosperity 
remains, and an opportunity atibrded for penitence and refor- 
mation ? Let us then, while his judgments are abroad in the 
earth learn righteousness. Let us in the first place learn 7iot to 
trust for safety to political changes. 

It has been the mistake of men in all ages to ascribe most 
of their difficulties and embarrassments, to political evils, and 
to trust to their removal as an effectual remedy. Now it may 
be affirmed with truth, that political changes either in men or 
institutions, are of no ]:>enefit whatever, only so far as they 
afford a fair chance, and hold out suitable inducements to men 
for the cultivation of the mind and heart, and to aspire to that 
station in society for which they are qualified by their talents 
and moral worth. Disconnected with this, civil liberty is a 
curse rather than a blessing. The great evil of despotic o-qv- 
ernments is, that they cramp the intellectual powers, and cor- 
rupt the morals of the people. But if you take from man his 
rational and immortal nature, and reduce him, as do Atheism 
and infidelity, to the condition of a mere animal, then of all 
animals he most needs the strong arm of despotism. He must 
be governed by force, just so far as he is not governed by rea- 
son, and conscience, and the authority of God. Because let 
his theory he what it will, man will never resemble a mere 
animal. If treated as such, he evinces his higiier nature, by 
becoming a demon, which you must chain and fetter, if you 
would preserve the race from annihilation. Bat if you confer 
upon him, as does Christianity, a rational and immortal nature, 
.hen he needs a plain field, and an open sky, where his powers 
may unfold and expand, and become assimilated to the society 
of that heaven to which religion proposes to raise her followers. 
This is the reason, and the only reason, why our free institu- 
tions are such inestimable blessings. Not because they give 
men more liberty to do wrong, but because they remove all 
restraint in the way ofivell doing. They leave us at libertv to 
use our time, and our property in the cultivation of our minds, 
and in the improvement of our moral virtues. So long as a 
man has no disposition to avail himself of these arlvantao-es in 
a proper manner, but perverts them to the gratification of iiis 
sensual appetites and passions ; so long as he pursues a course 
of licentiousness and dissipation, civil liberty instead of enhanc- 
in,^ his happiness, only renders him tenfold more wretched and 
mischievous. Our free, institutions have made no decidedly im- 
moral and irreligious man, one ivhii happier than he would have been 



6 

under the grinding despotisms of the old world. As it is with 
individuals so it is with nations. Hence we must not trust to 
})olitical changes for redress, but to education and religion ; 
remembering that political revolutions are beneficial only so far 
as they remove every impediment to the full developement of 
the intellectual and moral faculties. Where education and 
correct moral and religious principles are wanting, political 
changes always increase the miseries under which men groan. 
The experiment has been fully tried in France. Within half 
a century, France has changed her political constitution ten 
times, and her civil rulers much oftener, without increasing one 
iota the happiness of the people. The reason is, intelligence 
and sound morals are wanting. Their political institutions, de- 
prived of these life-giving principles, like a plant destitute of 
water at the root, have crumbled beneath their own weight, and 
sunk into premature decay. 

2. We must not trust for safety to the success or defeat of 
any political jyaiiy. As the evil lies deeper than any misman- 
agement on the part of government, and is something over 
which government can have no direct control, so the elevation 
of any man, or set of men, to offices of trust and power, can 
never afford any thing more than temporary relief Besides 
party warfare, by its corrupting influence, only sinks the people 
deeper in vice, and draws upon them heavier judgments from 
God. I am an enemy to party contests of all kinds, both in 
the church and out of it. Because the motives made use of in 
mere party warfare, are always addressed to the worst passions 
of the human heart. Then every party, to be successful, has 
a great deal of dirty work to do, and tfiis dirty work must em- 
ploy minds and hands suited to the business. Such individuals 
will have no scruples in regard to measures ; and such mea- 
sures as they will use will always inflame and corrupt, till at 
last they break out into open violence, contempt of law, anar- 
chy, revolution and bloodshed. Moreover, we must remember 
that human nature is the same in every party. The mere adop- 
tion of the uniform of a party, therefore, does not make the 
coward brave, nor the traitor patriotic, nor the ambitious less 
fond of power, nor the unprincipled honest in the discharge of 
public duty. This renders it so easy in times of high political 
excitement for designing men to carry measures whose ruinous 
tendencies are felt for generations to come. The grand means 
by which party contests are carried on, are flattery and slander. 
O how greedily do men take in the sweet bait, which ascribes 
to their own side of the question, all the talent, virtue and pat- 
riotism in the land; while it heaps upon opposers every oppro- 
brious epithet in the language. Its operation is two-fold ; it 



fosters pride and gratifies malice. Thus this praise of self, and 
detraction of others, is carried on, till political parties come at 
last to love every thing which is labelled with the favorite name ; 
and to hate every thing to which their leaders have given an 
opposite designation. In this way republics have always been 
cheated out of their liberties. For it has been truly remarked, 
if you wish to " seal up a man's eye close as midnight, you have 
only to flatter his weak side, and then you may lead him where 
you please." Men in masses love flattery as well as individuals, 
and are much more easily duped. 

3. We must learn not to trust to any measures ivhich hold 
out the jjrospect of the sudden acquisition of great ivealth. — 
" The love of money," says St. Paul, " is the root of all evil." 
Any measures, therefore, which promise the speedy acquisition 
of great wealth, are sure to excite an unnatural activity in all 
the departments of commerce and industry. The consequence 
is, over-trading, desperate speculation, high living, extravagant 
expenditure for a season, followed by the most ruinous reac- 
tion. The Bible says " he that is greedy of gain troubleth his 
own house," and he that hasteth to be rich shall not be inno- 
cent." Never is this seen so clearly as when a season of much 
apparent prosperity is followed, as at present, by great pecuni- 
ary embarrassment and distress. While such as have been 
content with honest gains, and a frugal expenditure, weather 
the storm, those that have too much enlarged their business and 
their mode of living, are sure to be overwhelmed and crushed, 
under the edifice which their folly had erected on such a sandy 
foundation. Let us not expect relief then, from any measures 
which hold out the prospect of the sudden acquisition of great 
wealth. For rest assured that men whose ruling passion is the 
love of gain, have not grown one whit wiser by the recent 
pressure of our pecuniary aflairs. Hold out to-morrow the 
same inducements, and they would as greedily run into the 
same extravagancies. The world learnt nothing from the ex- 
plosion of the South Sea bubble, nor the failure of Law's Mis- 
sissippi scheme ; neither has it been instructed by speculating 
in Maine Lands, or Western city lots. 

4. JVeither must ive trust to the combination of one portion 
of the community against the other. Nothing can be more 
utterly wicked and diabolical, than eftbrts on the part of any 
man, or set of men, to array the poor against the rich, or the 
rich against the poor ; or the commercial, manufacturing and 
agricultural interest against each other. If we want to turn 
the milk of concord into gall and bitterness, and produce a 
state of things in this land, at the report of which, both the 
ears of him that heareth it shall tingle, let inflammatory appeals 



continue to be made to the pride, envy, jealousy and malignity 
of tlie heart, in respect to men's various interests and relations* 
For instance, let the farmer and mechanic be taught to look 
upon the merchant and professional man with ill-will and sus- 
picion ; let the merchant and professional man be made to 
regard the farmer and mechanic, with dislike and contempt ; 
let the rich despise the poor, and the poor look with an envious 
and malignant eye on the possessions of the wealthy, and not 
one half century will elapse before such dreadful scenes will 
occur in our country as will have no parallel in history. For 
my own part, I have no sympathy with that mean, vulgar pride 
which induces a man of property or learning, to treat the la- 
boring man with contempt ; nor with the jealousy, envy and 
malignity of the laboring man in respect to one whose business 
requires him to appear in a more expensive dress than I can 
afford to wear. This arraying the interests of one portion of 
the community against the other, in order to preserve a proper 
balance, is like producing such a state of suspicion and ill-will 
in a neighborhood, that each man would stand at his own door, 
gun in hand, to protect his property, and prevent the encroach- 
ment of his neighbors. He might protect his life and property 
perhaps, for a season ; but then in such circumstances neither 
would be scarcely worth preserving. When kindness, confi- 
dence, and mutual feelings of respect and affection are de- 
stroyed, what else remains is of little vvorlli. If in a free country, 
I cannot live among my friends and neighbors on terms of free 
and friendly intercourse ; if I cannot work, trade, study and 
pursue any honest and lawfulcalling in a proper manner, with- 
out continual attempts on the part of base unprincipled men to 
excite against me the jealousy, envy, and ill-will of my fellow- 
citizens, then let me come at once under an iron despotism, 
where I shall be exposed to only one tyrant, instead of millions. 
For my own part I prefer the dead calm of despotism, to the 
seethings and bubblings of a witch's cauldron. 

5. Let us learn, moreover, not io trust to any changes in our 
local situation or employments. Since man was expelled 
from Eden, he has been looking over the earth to find that par- 
adise which he lost at the fall. When, therefore, things do not 
meet his expectations in one place,or his business does not pros- 
per to his mind, he thinks a change in his location or employ- 
ment will improve his condition. He does not reflect that the 
difficulty is in his own heart ; and that, go where he will, he 
will carry that repining discontented heart with him. My 
hearers, be not deceived in this matter. The old latin proverb 
contains a deal of sound wisdom, " Happiness is not in the place, 
but in the mind." Go where you will, so long as you remain 



9 

an enemy of God, and are not perfectly resigned to liis will, 
you will always find something out of joint. Believe me my 
friends, there is just as much poverty and discontent in Ohio as 
in New-Hampshire. Men find just as much fault with the 
weather - are just as anxious about short crops and high prices 
on the Mississippi and Potomac, as tho farmers of New-England. 
Sin, sickness, misery, and death, abound there to as great, if 
not greater degree, than here. Go any where, to the sunny 
climes of the south, or the fertile vales of the west, or even to 
heaven itself — change your condition as often as you will, and 
you will find, if you do not love God, nor fear, nor obey him, 
that you have not added one iota to the sum of your happiness, 
nor sweetened any of the trials and aflflictions to which flesh is 
heir to. We must therefore, 

6. Learn to place all our hopes of relief from impending 
evils, in that righteousness that txalieth a nation. Here let us 
be careful not to lose ourselves in a crowd, nor merge our m- 
dividual criminality and responsibility, in the responsibilities 
and guilt of the nation. The nation is made up of individuals, 
and our national sins are upheld and perpetuated by the coun- 
tenance and support they receive from individuals. Reforma- 
tion, then, to be thorough and effectual, must commence with 
individuals. Does any one ask, " What can I do .''" The an- 
swer is plain. You must " break off your sins by righteous- 
ness, and your iniquities by turning unto the Lord." You must 
repent, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and learn to seek 
your happiness in things above, and not in things on the earth. 
You must remember that so long as you are not a christian, so 
long your influence and example, are in some measure, lent to 
extend and perpetuate the evils we now suffer. You must feel 
that as you have sinned as one of the nation, so, as one of the 
nation you must repent, before reformation will be complete. 
That as you have had some share in drawing down the curse, 
so by your repentance and reformation, you may have some 
share in effecting its removal. Spend not then this precious 
opportunity in railing against the rulers of the land, against the 
opposite party in politics, against monopolists, speculators and 
men of different occupations with yourselves. We must recol- 
lect that a portion of this guilt lies at our own door, and in no 
better way can we serve our country, than to remove it by 
timel) repentance and reformation. In this way we shall do 
our country a more effectual service than by our votes at the 
polls, or the voluntary exposure of our lives in battle for her 
defence. The true christian is the only true patriot. He 
serves his country in all the relations of life, without any draw- 
back. He feels the blessed effects of his example, his influence, 



lO 

and his prayers. In seasons of public calamity and distress, 
when men's hearts, as at present, are failing them for fear, he 
stands, like Moses, in the breach to turn away the wrath of 
offended heaven. Thus to the very man whom the ungodly 
hate, and deride, and brand perhaps as a hypocrite, does the 
world owe 

Her sunshine and lier rain, her blooming spring 

And plenteous harvest, to the prayer he makes. 

When Isaac like, the solitary saint 

Walks forth to meditate, at eventide, 

And think on her who thinks not on herself. 

7. We must use our hifluence to extend to the whole communiiy 
the benefits of an education based on the moraliiy of the Bible. 
Education and true religion are indispensable to the safety 
of our political edifice. When united they constitute the 
life-blood of the body politic. A most insidious effort, how- 
ever, has been made, and is making, to separate religion 
and education, under pretence of discountenancing sectarian- 
ism and preventing a union of church and state. Hence the 
Bible has been banished from most of our common schools, and 
teachers, in some instances, have been forbidden to pray with 
or speak to their pupils on the subject of religion. Strange 
infatuation ! that republicans should banish a book from their 
primary institutions of learning, which contains the only sys- 
tem that effectually meets the wants and guards the rights of 
the great mass of mankind. Civil and religious liberty has 
found no place for the sole of the foot on the wide earth, except 
where the Bible is in the hands of the common people ; and 
where it is studied, and in some measure loved and obeyed. — 
But we, it seems, are growing wiser. We have begun to dis- 
card the wisdom of heaven, and are resorting to the editors of 
party Newspapers and party leaders, for instruction respecting 
our social and religious duties, and the great principles of hu- 
man rights. We forget that it is for the interests of such men 
to flatter and deceive, because, like the silversmiths who 
wrought silver shrines for Diana, by this craft they have their 
wealth. Instead of efforts to raise and elevate the people, 
their great object seems to be to enlist them under the banner 
of party. Hence, such inflammatory appeals to their passions 
and prejudices — such gross flattery of their friends — such vio- 
lent denunciations and malignant detraction of opposers. This 
is called diffusing information ; circulating intelligence ! ! No, 
my hearers, it is only diffusing gall and bitterness ; it is circu- 
lating the venom of a most virulent poison through the whole 
community. What would be the condition of a private family 
so divided and alienated in affection, that its members should 



11 

continually abuse and berate each other with all the vile epi- 
thets to be found in the language, under pretence of asserting 
and guarding their rights. A nation, in some respects, resem- 
bles a family on a more extended scale, and its happiness is 
augmented, not in proportion to its wealth or power, but as real 
intelligence, virtue, kindness and good-will prevail throughout 
the whole. This placing bitter, unprincipled, political oppo- 
nents on the watch-towers of freedom, to guard our liberties, 
is about as wise as it would be for a man to introduce rakes 
and libertines into his house, to secure the chastity of his wife 
and daughters.* He therefore is the true friend of the people, 
and the only real patriot, who does not try to make us believe 
that we are all Solomons and Saints, but whose aim is to raise 
us as near as possible to that condition, by the circulation of 
sound intelligence, and the promotion of true religion. If the 
money that is now worse than wasted for the vile trash of the 
weekly press, and the liquid lire which sends misery and death 
into thousands of families, was expended in improving our liter- 
ary institutions and common schools ; in forming town libraries 
and lyceums ; in circulating scientific tracts, and literary pub- 
lications ; in increasing Sabbath Schools^ in sustaining reli- 
gious institutions; in securing attendance on public worship; 
and in other ways enlightening the understanding and purify- 
ing the heart, society would soon wear a different aspect ; our 
pecuniary difficulties would vanish, and our free institutions be 
in no danger from the arts of unprincipled designing men. 

8. We must use our influence to promote a better observance of 
the Sabbath, and a nwre general attendance on public worship. — 
If heaven in mercy ever bestowed upon man, and especially 
upon man who has to eat bread in the sweat of his face, a boon 
of richest price; it was the Sabbath and public worship. For 
were it not for the Sabbath, there would be no cessation from 
toil except such time as was granted at the caprice of the em- 
ployer, or was taken by each individual, as interest allowed, or 
inclination prompted. The consequence would be, as in 
Heathen or Mahomedan countries, the laborer would be com- 
pelled to work the whole time, with no increase of compensa- 
tion, and no leisure to recruit his strength, nor any lime to cul- 
tivate his mind and heart. But the Sabbath secures both these 
ends, by imposing one rule on all, viz : cessation from all accus- 
tomed business, and the consecration of the time to the wor- 
ship of God, and the improvement of the mind in respect to reli- 
gious knowledge. This operates most sweetly, and beneficially, 
in regard to all who observe it according- to the end of the insti- 



''See noie at the conclusion of the Sermon. 



L.of 



tution. It prevents that degradation of mind, and pollution of 
heart, which prepares the way for civil tyranny and debasing 
superstition. I affirm without fear of contradiction, that there 
IS more intelligence, more wealth, less crime, intemperance and 
misery, in every town and neighborhood, and among those fam- 
dies where the Sabbath is observed, and public worship regu- 
larly attended, than among those where the Sabbath is disre- 
garded, and public worship neglected. I have not time now to 
discuss the question of the divine authority of the Sabbath. 
But this I do say, that no man in the end, ever increased his 
wealth, or the happiness of himself or family, by Sabbath break- 
ing, or neglect of public worship, or withholding his aid from 
the support of religious institutions. " The silver and the gold 
is mine," says God, "and the cattle upon a thousand hills." If 
any man attempts to rob God of that portion of his time or 
substance which is required of him, God will take from him 
tenfold more, both in time and money, than was ever demanded 
for the discharge of his religious duties. Our nation has been 
awfully guilty of Sabbath violations, and neglect of public 
worship. Our public men, our merchants, our manufacturers, 
and many of our farmers, could not afford so much as a seventh 
part of their time, nor so much money as was necessary to sus- 
tain religious institutions. Stages have been kept running; post 
offices open ; the teams of merchants have been on the move ; 
printing presses have been at work; mnnufactories have hardly 
ceased operations ; steamboats and rail-road cars have been 
puffing as though life and death depended on their speed. — 
Our cities and villages have poured out their hundreds and 
thousands in search of amusement and pleasure. The excuse 
was they could not afford time to rest, and attend public wor- 
ship. So eager were they in the pursuit of honor, or wealth, 
or pleasure, that they seemed to have forgotten the solemn truth, 
that God gov^erns the world, and that we are under obligation 
to love and serve him. But in the midst of this rush of busi- 
ness and pleasure, a fearful crash is suddenly heard in the very 
frame-work of society. It seems almost as though God had 
quit his hold on the helm, and had sutTered men to be driven 
before the furious gales of interest and passion, on the rocks 
and quick-sands of destruction. In one day, God has taken out 
of the hands of the people of this country, a hundred thousand 
times more than has ever been acquired by Sabbath labor, or 
is required to sustain all the institutions of learning and reli- 
gion in the land. To the entire neglect of God, and his wor- 
ship, they have pursued the phantoms of hope, which, like the 
apples of Sodom, have proved dust and bitter ashes. Let the 
youth who now hear me, lay this solemn truth to heart, that thev 



13 



will never, either in time or eternity, add one jot or tittle to 
their wealth, honor, or happiness, by any violation of the Sab- 
bath or neglect of public worship, or refusal to aid in the 
support of religious institutions. The history of bankruptcy, 
of pauperism, and crime, affords abundant evidence, that ne- 
glect of the Sabbath, and the house of God is attended with 
a fearful loss of time, of property, and of happiness. The 
reproof of Jehovah to the Jews is peculiarly applicable to us. 
- Will a man rob God.? yet ye have robbed me. Ye arc 
cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this whole 
nation " " But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the 
Sabba'th day, then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and 
it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be 

"^"Le^t usVthen, my hearers, now that his judgments are abroad 
in the earth, learn righteousness. ^, . 

This is a time of perplexity and fear. The wise man is con- 
founded, and those who have boasted most of their sagacity 
and foresight, are filled with astonishment. The mere politi- 
cian seeks'for the causes of the present crisis in those principles 
on which the science of political economy is based. But here 
he is confounded, because he leaves out of view the direct 
naencv of God in inflictincx upon individuals and nations sucli 
wide spread and overwhelming calamities. But the diristian 
with the Bible in his hand, traces the origin of our difficulties 
to their true source. " Is there evil in the city and the Lord 
hath not done it." Evil here has special reference to temporal 
iud-ments and calamities. The christian knows, therefore 
that such wide spread ruin must have proceeded from the hand 
of God • and that the only way to avert still heavier judgments, 
is to renounce at once those sins which have drawn upon us the 

divine displeasure. • r ,. 

Mv hearers, God has begun to deal with the nation lor its 
sins Our crops have been cut off by blasting and untimely 
frosts The cholera, like a desolating scourge, has passed 
through our country. The savage has been excited to burn, 
and ravage, and murder, on our frontier. Political animosities 
and sectK)ral prejudices have been inflamed to the highest de- 
gree so that in some parts of our country men, like tigers, can 
scarcely be restrained from flying on each other's throats. A 
spirit of lawlessness has broken out in mobs, and riots, and 
violence, and blood. iMen have engaged in the most wild and 
desperate speculations. But God has set down the foot of his 
povver The whole business of the country is deranged. A 
crv of pecuniary embarrassment is heard in every city, town 
and villatre. The wheels of industry and commerce are im- 



14 

peded. For a moment the whirl of fashion and dissipation has 
been suspended. The Babylonian revelry has been struck 
dumb. But are there any signs of repentance and reformation ^ 
None. Are party animosities allayed — the thirst for gain, and 
office, and sensual indulgencies abated ? Is the sabbath better 
observed, and public worship more numerously attended F Are 
our newspapers less inflammatory in their appeals to the pas- 
sions and prejudices of their readers ? What efforts are making 
by men of influence to suppress intemperance, and raise the 
tone of public morals, and elevate the standard of intelligence, 
and public virtue ? Alas, instead of such things we hear only 
of temporary political expedients — and measures to elevate one 
set of men above another. This state of things seems to indi- 
dicate that infatuation which precedes destruction. Let us, 
then, instead of railing at our rulers — instead of entering into 
unhallowed party contests — let us humble ourselves under the 
mighty hand of God, and repent of our individual sins. Let 
us strive to remove those sins which especially infest that sec- 
tion of country where we dwell. Let us give up that inordi- 
nate thirst for wealth ; that hasting to be rich, which is not 
content with moderate gains and honest acquisitions. Let us 
lay aside that passion for dress, show and parade, which is eat- 
ing out the substance,and destroying the peace and comfort of 
families; let us spend more time in the purification of the mind 
and in the cultivation of the heart. Let us cherish a spirit of 
kindness, forbearance, and good will. Let us eschew all low, 
party intrigues, and act with th^ honest, open manliness of free- 
men, with a solemn sense of our accountability to God. Above 
all, let each one immediately embrace, and constantly obey the 
gospel, and soon all our difficulties and embarrassment will 
vanish, and the sun of our prosperity will shine, if not with that 
false glare which lured so many to destruction, yet with a mild 
and steady radiance, which with the blessing of heaven, will 
guide our country in the only safe path of national happiness, 
greatness and glory. 



Note. — The spirit of mob violence which has exhibited it- 
self in such an alarming manner in various parts of the country, 
and has resulted in the atrocious murder of Rev. E. P. Love- 
JOY, is only the natural consequence of that inflamed state of 
public feeling which has been excited by the periodical press. 
This charge lies heaviest against the pohtical press, and party 
editors and leaders. But many of the religious papers come 
in for a large share. It has seemed to be the aim of slU parties, 
both political, religious, and semi-religious, to say as harsh, bit- 
ter and unkind things respecting each other, as possible. Po- 
litical scribblers have berated each other in the lowest Billings- 
gate. Some of our professedly religious writers have ransacked 
the language for terms in which the outpourings of their gall, 
and not unfrequently their venom, might be expressed. They 
have done as much as possible " to provoke others," but not " to 
love and good works." Under such treatment the bad passions 
of men have become too highly inflamed to be satisfied with 
the scourge of the tongue, or the pen. Mere words do not in- 
flict wounds deep enough. The process of reaching the 
offender through legal forms is too slow. The gun, pistol, 
dagger, brick-bat, and halter, begin to take the place of the pen 
and the press. One step more, and these things will be 
merged in the trial of arms, and the field of mortal combat. — 
Is it asked who is responsible for such a state of things .^^ The 
answer is, every man, who, under any pretence, or in the pro- 
motion of any cause, gives expression to unholy feeling in 
irritating and abusive language. No man has any right to 
slander or abuse his neighbor, or give vent to his malignity, or 
self-will, or prejudice, behind the shield of a good cause. He 
who does it, shares in the responsibilities and guilt of mobs, 
and riots, and murders, which such a course is calculated to 
produce, however much he may say against mobs, and cry out 
persecution when he is assailed. 



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